Orthopedic treatment apparatus for the jaw bones



July 8, 1969 H. STOCKFISCH ORTHOPEDIC TREATMENT APPARATUS FOR THE JAWBONES Sheet L of 4 Filed June 5,

INVENTOR Hi -(Lo sTaazr/sah ATTORNEY y 3, 1969 H. STOCKFISCH 3,454,001

ORTHOPEDIC TREATMENT APPARATUS FOR THE JAW BONES Filed June s, 1966Sheet 3 of 4 INVENTOR Hu 8 o am PM: u

BY M G ATTORNEY H. STOCKFISCH July 8, 1969 o'R'rmPEDIc TREATMENTAPPARATUS FOR THE JAW sows w W 4 r O f V o W. M w m M m m Filed June 13,1966 July 8, 1969 Q l s oc r-qscn 3,454,001

ORTHOPEDIC TREATMENT APPARATUS FOR THE JAW BONES Filed June 5. 1966Sheet f of 4 INVENTOR /-/a G0 sfacxnaau ATTORNEY United States Patent3,454,001 ()RTHOPEDIC TREATMENT APPARATUS FOR THE JAW BONES HugoStoekfisch, 44 Marienstrasse, Stuttgart 7, Germany Filed June 3, 1966,Ser. No. 555,082 Claims priority, application Germany, June 3, 1965,

St 18,757 Int. Cl. A61f 5/00 18 Claims BS ACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Thepresent invention relates to an orthopedic treatment apparatusfor thejaw bones which is provided with at least one plate part insertable intothe jaw and matched thereto, to .which are secured clamps, clips, andelements for the securing, for the influencing of certain jaw bonesections, and/ or for the connection of parts of the apparatus. Thepresent invention relates in particular to a treatment apparatus of thistype with at least one plate part adapted to be inserted into the upperjaw and with at least one plate part adapted to be inserted into thelower jaw, which are connected with each other by means of a clip thatserves, inter alia, for the enlargement of the arcs of the teeth, i.e.,the tooth curves (Kinetor).

A .jaworthopedic plate apparatus is known in the prior art which .isprovided with a plate abutting along the entire hard gum and whichadditionally covers a part of the soft gum and all of the teeth of theupper jaw bone. This apparatus serves, for example, the purpose toprevent a contraction of the gum or of the jaw bone after an operationin the hard or in the soft gum by reason of scar shrinkage or stressesof the soft parts of the gum.

For the purpose of manufacturing this apparatus, in order to achieve anaccurate fitting shape, at first casts of the upper jaw have to be madeonto which is formed-on or molded-on subsequently the self-hardeningmaterial.

A bimaxillary plate apparatus is also known in the art which is providedwith two plate parts each adapted to be inserted into the upper jaw andinto the lower jaw, respectively, which are connected with each otherwhereby the plate parts of the upper jaw and those of the lower jaw areelastically connected with each other by way of an elastic wire cliparranged in the forward position of the mouth and a rubber hose isarranged between these parts along the contact surfaces which is tostimulate chewing movements. This apparatus, commonly referred to asKinetor, serves, inter alia, for the elimination of a jaw narrowness.The plate parts consist of a self-hardening material and are formed ormolded with the aid of a jaw bone model. However, the manufacture of theKinetor is complicatedas is also the case with all the other knownremovable apparatus. Since several clips and springs are securedatthesame time at the plate parts, for example, frontal clips, securing clipsfor the rubber hose, springs for the movement or support of the teeth,clips for the connection between the plate parts of the upper jaw boneand of the lower jaw bone as well as hooks for the suspension ofsprings, these clips and elements have to be inserted already during themanufacture of the plate parts at exactly the correct places Within thestill soft material sincea subsequent bending of the elements often-3,454,001 p tented July 8, .1969

ice

times is no longer possible or may lead to a loosening of the fasteningor securing as well as to a breaking of the plate.

In contradistinction thereto, the present invention consists in that thetreatment apparatus is provided with prefabricated or finished-partsextending along the curves of the teeth of the jaws and forming the coreof the apparatus, which finished parts, for purposes of adaptation tothe individual respective jaw bone, are covered with a self-hardeningmaterial adapted to the shape of the respective jaw section.

The advantage of the presentinvention resides in that the manufacture ofthe apparatus is simplified very considerably so that, for example, adecrease of the time expenditures of about is achieved.If theself-hardening material is, for example, a conventional cold polymerthen a plate part is made in the simplest manner in that a finished partdetermined for a respective jaw section is coated with the cold polymerand is pressed therewith against the jaw section. After a few minutes,the plate part is completed and finished and only projecting polymeredgesthat are undesirablehaveto be removed.

The apparatus according to the present invention is preferably soconstructed that atleast one side of the prefabricated or finished partis freely accessible and that the clips holding together thetreatmentapparatus and the elements serving for the influencing of certain jawsections, for example, springs, clips and others, are secured at thefinished parts. The elements, etc., are thereby interchangeably securedat the finished parts. The particular advantages of such a manner ofsecuring reside in that the plate parts may be made without requiringthat the members have to be secured simultaneously at these plate parts.Also, if in the use of the apparatus, for example, a clip suffers afatigue break, orif an existing frontal clip is to have, for example, alarger or another shape, only the existing elements have to be removedand have to be replaced by a new element. The new element may, ifdesired, also be. secured at another place. A still further advantageresides in the fact that the apparatus maybe disassembled and takenapart into its individual plate parts for possible changes or repairswithout destruction of the clips.

With another embodiment of thepresent invention,'the prefabricated,finished parts are provided at the freely accessible side thereof withsymmetrically arranged apertures or recesses intowhich are adapted to beinserted portions of the clips and elements. Preferably the finishedparts intended for the left and for the right jaw side have an identicalshape (not a mirror-image-like or symmetrical shape) where-by themanufacturethereof is considerably simplified.

The finished parts may consist of different materials, thus, forexample, of corrosion-resistant metals. Finished parts ofconventionalplastic material, especially of a synthetic plastic materialhaving the color of the gum flesh are, however, particularly favorable.The synthetic plastic material may be any conventional, appropriatethermoplastic material. This offers the possibilty to manufacture thefinished parts relatively inexpensively in large quantities.Furthermore, elements initially not present may be welded or molded ontothe plate parts after finishing thereof.

With another construction according to the present invention, an upperjaw plate part as well as a lower jaw plate part is provided withfinished parts only within the area of the back teeth and the eyeteeth.The finished parts may be constructed in cross section either oftriangular shape or of angular shape, i.e., they may possess every crosssection that can be understood as transition between a triangular and anangularly shaped cross section. The freely exposed edges in the finishedplate part are rounded off.

With still another embodiment of the present invention, the surface ofthe finished parts extends adjacent the teeth in a plan of the chewingsurfaces or at a small distance parallel thereto. This surface of afinished part present in an upper jaw plate part is disposed paralleland opposite a corresponding surface of a plate part disposed in thelower jaw. A compressible rubber element may be disposed between thesesurfaces of two finished parts of an upper and of a lower plate part ordirectly between the chewing surface of the back teeth (molars andbicuspids). The finished parts of the lower jaw or those of the upperjaw are then provided additionally with retaining or securing elements,for example, hooks for securing or retaining the rubber element,whereby'the retaining elements may consist of the same material as thefinished parts or also of metal and may be molded already together withthe finished parts or may be inserted subsequently.

With still a further embodiment of the present invention, the finishedparts of the surface plate parts are provided with lateral extensions orprojections extending along the gum and extending a leg portion of thefinished parts. These extensions are preferably constructed oftrapezoidal shape. The extensions may also be provided with places ofreduced material strength for purposes of increasing the flexibility. Afacilitated adaptation of the finished parts is possible thereby duringthe pressing-on action against the self-hardening material and againstthe jaw or gum.

With one embodiment of the present invention all finished parts of theplate apparatus are identical with one another. This signifies aconsiderable simplification of the manufacture thereof. Hooks for thesecuring of a rubber hose that may eventually be provided, are theninserted into apertures of the finished part intended therefor. Afurther possibility of the simplification additionally resides in thefact that all of the finished parts are made with formed-on or molded-onhooks and then either the hooks of the finished parts for the upper jawor those of the finished parts for the lower jaw are removed.

The finished parts may be provided at least with one channel-likeaperture or recess which extends essentially in the longitudinaldirection of the finished part. A reinforcing clip for the finished partmay be inserted through this aperture which serves simultaneously asretaining or securing clip.

In another embodiment of the present invention, at least one portion ofthe apertures or recesses of the finished parts serving for the securingof elements is provided with an oval-to-rectangular cross section.U-shaped bent ends of clips are adapted to be inserted into theseapertures. A sturdy and therewith elastic connection between the clipsand a plate part is made possible by this construction of the aperturesand of the clip ends.

With a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the finished partsare provided with groove-shaped reinforcements at least in a portion ofthe places along which clip portions extend parallel to the surfaces ofthe finished parts and come into abutment at the finished part, withclip sections being adapted to be inserted into the groove-shapedreinforcements. With this construction, the connecting clip may beanchored either in the' lowerjaw finished part or in the upper-jawfinished part, for example, in a vertical aperture or recess and maythen extend away toward the side flush or parallel with the surface ofthis finished part. The clip then has a good guidance, similar to theguidance with the lateral insertion into the finished part, but cannotbe pulled out of the finished parts by a simple pull at the clip.Similar advantages result with the other clip types and hooks if theyare guided in similar grooves. Thus, with a further embodiment of thepresent invention, one end of a wire clip, used as book for securing arubber hose, is guided in a groove-shaped recess in the finished partand engages from below at least one surface layer of the finished part.The other end of this clip is thereby inserted into the finished partperpendicularly to the first end. The small hook consisting of the wireclip is thus looked after emplacement on the finished part.

Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention willbecome more obvious from the following description of severalembodiments in accordance with the present invention, when taken inconnection with the accompaying drawing which shows, for purposes ofillustration only, several embodiments of the present invention. Theindividual features, however, of the present invention may be utilizedeither by themselves or several of them combined in one and the sameembodiment of the present invention.

In the drawing, several embodiments of the present invention areillustrated, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of a modified embodiment inaccordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI ofFIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, and illustratingthe details indicated by the circle designated by reference numeral VIIin FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 8 is a bottom plan view of an upper jaw plate of a still furthermodified embodiment in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a finished part of the embodiment ofFIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a bottom plan view of an upper jaw plate of a still furthermodified embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 11 is a plan view on the lower jaw plate of the embodimentaccording to FIGURE 10;

FIGURE 12 is a cross-sectional view through the embodiment according toFIGURE 10;

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of a furthermodified embodiment of a lower-jaw finished part according to thepresent invention;

FIGURE 14 is a perspective View illustrating the finished part of FIGURE13 with the clip and hooks inserted into position; and

FIGURE 15 is a perspective view illustrating the clip by itself used inthe embodiment of FIGURE 14.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals are usedthroughout the various views to designate like parts, in the embodimentof the present invention illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 4, a bimaxillaryplate apparatus (Kinetor) is provided with a two-partite upperjaw plategenerally designated by reference numeral 1 and a two-partite lower-jawplate generally designated by reference numeral 2 which are connectedwith each other by way of two wire clips 3 and 4. The two plate partsgenerally designated by reference numerals 22 and 23 forming theupper-jaw plate 1 abut, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, against the innerside of the back teeth 5 (molars and premolars) and extend up to withinthe upper region of the hard gum 6. Each plate part is provided with aprefabricated, finished part7 and 8 consisting of thermoplastic materialwhich forms the core of the plate part. The two finished parts 7 and 8are identical with one another and are to be considered as unfashionedblank part for the plate parts. A hardenable cold polymer 9 covers theside of the finished parts facing the jaw and accurately reproduces thesurface structure of the jaw bone and of the corresponding row of teeth.The finished parts 7 and 8.

have essentially angularly shaped cross section whereby the upper edgeof the vertical extension 11 is bent slight inwardly. The. bent portionvaries slightly depending on the shape of the gum. Two grooves 13extending parallel to the upper edge 10 permit the bending and matchingof the extensions 11 of the finished parts to the approximate gum shape.The vertical extensions 11 are constructed of trapezoidal shape. Thesections having the grooves 13 are thinner than the. remaining finishedparts so that they appear as the extensions thereof. The horizontalextensions 11 are provided along the narrow side 14 facing the check,which is accessible by way of the chewing surface of the teeth 5, withsix symmetrically arranged. cylindrical apertures 15. One end each ofthe connecting clips 3 and 4 and the ends of a frontal clip 16 holdingoff the lip pressure are inserted into two of each of these apertures15, the frontal clip extending withinthe area of the upperincisors orcutting teeth along the outer side thereof from one upper-jaw plate partto the other. The. inner diameter of the apertures 15 is slightlysmaller. than the diameter of the wire ends provided with obliquelyextending notches so that the wire ends, after insertion into theelastic finished part, have a secure support. Of these apertures 15 onlythe forward ones are needed. The rear apertures 15 of the finished partserve exclusively for the purpose that one and the same finished partmay be utilized both as left as also as right half whereby the rearapertures, in case of use as the rigid plate part, come to lie in frontwith the use as the left plate part and then serve. for the fastening ofthe clips. The upper edge 10 of the vertical leg portion 11 of thefinished parts 7 and 8 each includes two recesses or indentations 17which are provided for the accommodation of two threaded bolts 19 and 21serving for the connection of the plate parts 22 and 23.

The threaded bolts 19 are provided with a right-hand thread and thethreaded bolts 21 with a left-hand thread, and threaded sleevesconnecting these bolts 19 and 21 in a turn-buckle-like manner areprovided correspondingly with a right-hand thread in one half and with aleft-hand thread in the other half so that the distance between theplate parts is adjustable and these plate parts are additionallydisengageable from each other. (During the manufacture of the apparatus,initially a layer of cold polymer is brushed into the upper jaw model.The threaded bolts 19 and 21 together with their threaded sleeves 20 arethereupon inserted and thereafter the finished parts 7 and 8 are placedover the layer of the cold polymer. The bolts 19 and 21 are thereby soarranged that they come to lie at theplace of the recesses orindentations 17 of the finished parts 7 and -8 and during emplacement ofthe finished parts upon the layer of cold polymer are not pressedthrough the same against the gum surface.

The plate parts 25 and 26 forming the lower-jaw plate 2 are providedalso with finished parts 27 and 28 which have an essentially angularlyshaped cross section. However, the vertical leg portion 29 of thesefinished parts 25 and 26 is, kept shorter corresponding to the anatomicconditions of the lower jaw bone. The plate parts 25 and 26 are made ina similar manner as the plate parts 22 and 23 of the upper-jaw plate 1.Also, the connection of the two plate parts 25 and 26 by way of atightener provided with two bolts 30 and 31 and a threaded sleeve 32takes place in a similar manner whereby one end 33 of theturnbuckle-like tightener may be inserted into an aperture 34 located atthe end face of a respective finished part. The finished parts 27 and 28 are each provided at the top surface thereof with six verticalsymmetrically arranged apertures 35 having rectangular cross section.The lower ends 36of the connecting clip 3 and 4 are each inserted intoone of the forward apertures 35. [his end 36 is bent-up in a U-shapewhereby a clamping effect is achieved within the aperture 35 and anypossible lateral deflection or pivoting of the clips 3 and 4 isprevented-as will be more clear from a consideration of FIGURE 7illustrating an analogous case for a horizontalaperture. Each of theclips 3 and 4 extends from the ends secured in the finished partsbetween. the rows of teeth of the upper and lower jaw in the directiontoward. the cheeks. and forms a: rectangle dlsposed between the rows ofteeth and the cheeksparallel thereto and openftowardl the front whichholds off the cheek pressure from the teeth.

One rubber hose 40 each is arranged between thehorizontal leg portions12 and 42 of thefinished parts of the upperaw plate parts22 and 23 andof the lower-jawplate parts 25 and 26 in the longitudinal. directionthereof which produces a bite lock. This rubber hose 40' is retained bysmall hooks '41.which. are arranged atthe ends of the finshed parts 27and 28 of the lower-jaw plate 2 andlengage mto the inner space-of thehose 40.. The hooks 4'1 consist of the same material as the finishedparts and are formedon or molded-on already d'uringmanufacture thereof.As a result of the bite lock unaccustomed. to by the patient, the latteris stimulated into carrying out chewingmove ments. The vertical forcecomponents occurring during closmgof the bite are decomposed partly intohorizontal force components which effect an expansion or stretching ofthe jaw bone. With the treatment apparatus according. to the-presentlnvention illustrated in FIGURES 5, 6, and Hour finished parts 43 and 44are provided whichdiifer at most from one another in that the finishedparts 43 intended for the upper aw are provided with small plastic hooks45 for the securing of a rubber hose 46. In contradistinction to thefinished parts 7 and'8 ofthe aforementioned embodiment, the finishedparts 43 intendedfor the upper jaw possess no trapezoidally shapedextensions; The. finished parts 43 and 44 are provided each with eightsymmetrically arranged, oval apertures 47 which extend perpendicularlyto the plane of the cheek. and which are open only on the cheek side.The apertures 47 serve for. the. securing of wire clips whose ends 4 8,as illustrated in FIGURE 7, are bent up into U-shape. One end of a' clip49 connecting the finished parts 43 and 44 of a respective cheek sideare lnserted into one aperture each of a finished part;.the clip 49 hasessentially the shape of a rectangle and'is disposed between the curvesof the jaw bones and the cheek musculature. An upper and a lower frontalclip 50 and 51 are secured in the apertures 47 disposed closest to theincisors or cutting teeth, the frontal clips 50and 51 hold off the lippressure from the incisors.

There is prevented by the U-shaped construction of the clip ends thatthe clip inserted into the aperture can rotate within the aperturewherebyia better seating of he clip and therewith also a betterconnection of twofinished parts connected by means of a clip can beachieved. This is important in particular with frontal clips since thelips exert a constant pressure on the clips.

The advantage of the finished parts utilized with this embodimentresides in the fact that all four finished parts may be made with theaid of a single tool or die. The small hooks 45 for the rubber hosepresent initially with all'finished parts are, after the manufacture ofthe treatment apparatus, cut off as desired on the finished parts of theupper jaw or those of the lower jaw.

Finished parts 52 are used in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 8and 9 of the present invention which are each provided at theend faces53 with one additional aperture 54 as additional anchoring possibilitybut which are otherwise constructed similar to the finished parts 43 and44 of the next preceding embodiment. .As may be readily seen from FIGURE8, .two springs 55 and 56 are secured in the apertures at the forwardend face of the finished parts which serve for the movement of .theupper incisors or cutting teeth. The ends of these springs inserted intothe finished partare bent into U-shape similar to the clip ends and abutsecurelyagainst the: inner side of the oval apertures by reason of theclamping effect thereof. The apertures 54 may also be constructed in achannel-like manner and may extend from one endface of the finished partto the other. Reinforcingclips may beinsertedinto these channels forincreasing the stability and rigidity of the plate parts. Thesereinforcing clips may, for example, be constructed at the same time assprings or frontal clips 59.

The two plate parts 57 and 58 of the upper jaw plate illustrated inFIGURE 8, in addition to the connection thereof by way of the frontalclip 59, are additionally connected by means of a turn-buckle-likeexpanding screw 60 which is surrounded by two guide pins 61. During themanufacture of the upper-jaw plate, the finished parts 52 are placed ona not-yet-hardened cold polymer. The polymer is brushed smooth simply bymeans of the fingers in those places where the finished parts terminate,especially at the sides of the gum. The expanding screw 60 is thenembedded together with the guide pin 61 as preassembled unit 62 into thestill soft polymer. Plate parts made of high mirror-finished,rupture-resistant plactic material do not need to be polished after theassembly of the apparatus. An after-finishing is necessary only at theplate rims so that the time-consuming polishing and finishing operationsof the plates is dispensed with.

An apparatus is illustrated in FIGURES 10 to 12 in which the finishedparts 68 and 69 of the upper jaw differ from the finished parts 70 and71 of the lower jaw and the finished parts of the right bite half 68 and70 are constructed symmetrically or mirror-image-like to thecorresponding parts of the left bite half 69 and 71. The

finished parts extend up to the incisors. The finished plate apparatusdoes not abut against the teeth whose positions to one another is to beregulated and therefore have to remain movable. The finished parts 68and 69- of the upper jaw extend over a large part of the gum and areconnected with each other at the gum apex by way of an insertableexpanding screw 72 provided with guide pins 73. All four finished partsare provided with vertically extending apertures 74 having a rectangularcross section. Springs 75, clips 76, clamps 77, arrow clamps 78 andspring clamps 79 are inserted into these apertures 74 which serve forthe regulating of the tooth position. During the manufacture of theplate apparatus, the finished parts of the two jaws already connectedwith each other by the expansion screws 72 and 80 and by the guide pins73 and 81 are coated or covered with a cold polymer, are inserted intothe corresponding jaw and are pressed against the jaw, possibly whileincreasing the distance of two finished parts by the adjustment of theexpanding screws. In this embodiment, all of the elements for holdingtogether the apparatus and for influencing the jaws and teeth areinserted into the finished part and are therefore interchangeable. Withthe use of a rubber hose, also the small hooks for the securing of thehose are therefore inserted into an aperture.

In the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in FIGURES 13 and14, there is provided a lower-jaw finished part 100, which is providedsimilar to the finished parts 27 and 28 of the first embodiment, withvertically arranged apertures 101 having a rectangular cross section forthe securing of connecting clips 102. In contrast to the finished parts27 and 28, a section 103 of the clip 102, which after the insertionabuts against the finished part, is recessed in the finished part withina groove 104 which extends from one corner of the aperture 101 along theclip surface up to the longitudinal edge of the finished part and whosecross section corresponds essentially to that of the clip. Two aperturesare provided in the finished part whereby the one is utilized in theright finished part and the other, arranged symmetrically thereto, inthe left finished part of the lower jaw plate for the securing of theclip. However, several other correspondingly constructed apertures 101may still be provided. The groove 104 imparts a good guidance to theclip 102 and additionally brings about that a rubber hose insertedbetween the finished parts of the lower and upper paw is able to restover its entire length on the surface of the finished part. The rubberhose additionally contributes in that case to the retention of thesections 102 in the grooves 104.

The anchoring of such a rubber hose is also different with the finishedpart 100 of this embodiment from that of the finished parts 27 and 28 ofthe first embodiment. In lieu of molded-in plastic hooks, anchoringbooks 105 of wire are provided in this embodiment which are adapted tobe inserted into the finished part. Such wire hooks have the advantagethat they can be kept very thin in the material strength thereof. FIGURE15 illustrates such a hook by itself while in FIGURE 14 such a hook isinstalled on the finished part 100. All of the sections of the hook 105extending parallel to the finished part surface and coming into abutmentthereagainst are recessed in groove-shaped recesses 106 provided in thefinished part 100. One wire end 107 of the hook is bent downwardly andis inserted 103 of the clips into a vertical aperture 111 in thefinished part. The other end 108 is bent several times and extends inthe recesses 106 of the finished part from the top side by way of thenarrow side 109 to the bottom side of the horizontal leg portion 110 ofthe finished part which it engages from below. In this manner a safeseating of the hook 105 is created. If the finished part 100 is coveredwith a cold polymer, then the end 108 is embedded into this cold polymerso that the hook is non-detachably connected with the treatmentapparatus. The hook 105 as also the clips of the previous embodimentsare preshaped in the factory and can thereby be installed duringassembly of the treating apparatus without prior bending directly on themolded finished part. The hook 105 may also be shaped differently fromthat illustrated in FIGURE 15'. Thus, the section of the hook engagingin the rubber hose may also be so shaped that the rubber hose after theinsertion of the apparatus is retained directly between the chewingsurfaces of the molars.

While I have shown and described several embodiments in accordance withthe present invention, it is understood that the same is not limitedthereto but is susceptible of numerous changes and modifications asknown to a person skilled in the art. According to the presentinvention, also other types of plate apparatus may be provided withfinished parts, for example, such as possess only one upperjaw platethat may be of unitary construction.

Thus, it is obvious that the present invention is susceptible ofnumerous changes and modifications as known to a person skilled in theart, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the details shown anddescribed herein but intend to cover all such changes and modificationsas are encompassed by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An orthopedic treating apparatus for jaw bones, comprising at leastone plate member adapted to be inserted into the upper jaw and one platemember adapted to be inserted into the lower jaw, each of said platemembers being adapted in shape to the respective jaw, said plate membersbeing provided with prefabricated parts extending along the tooth curveof the jaw and forming the core of the apparatus, each finished partbeing covered, for purposes of adaptation to the individual jaw, with aself-hardening material adapted to the shape of the respective jawsection, connecting means including clip means for operativelyconnecting said plate members, wherein said prefrabricated parts are ofangular shape in cross section, one surface thereof extending adjacentthe teeth at most at a small distance parallel to the plane of thechewing surface, said one surface in the prefabricated part forming anupper jaw plate member being disposed substantially parallel andopposite a corresponding surface in a prefabricated part of thelower-jaw plate member.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said prefabricated partsconsist of a colored plastic material.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, further including a rubber elementdisposed between the surfaces of the two prefabricated parts for theupper and lower plate members and retaining means for said rubberelement provided on the prefabricated part for one of the jaws.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said rubber element isarranged between the chewing surfaces of the back teeth.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the prefabricated part ofthe upper jaw plate member is provided with extensions extending alongthe gum.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said extensions are ofapproximately trapezoidal shape.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said extensions areprovided with places of reduced material strength for increasing theflexibility thereof.

8. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said extensions areprovided with places of reduced material strength for increasing theflexibility thereof.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upper-jaw plate memberas well as the lower-jaw plate member are provided with prefabricatedparts only within the area of the back teeth and eyeteeth.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the prefabricated partsfor the left and right jaw side are of identical construction. 1

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein all prefabricated partsof the plate apparatus are identical with each other.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a prefabricated part isprovided with at least one continuous aperture that extends essentiallyin the longitudinal direction of the respective prefrabricated part.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, at least one side of eachprefabricated part being freely accessible and being provided thereatwith aperture means, and further means inserted with portions thereofinto said aperture means, wherein at least a part of the aperture meansprovided in the prefabricated parts have a cross section of between ovalto rectangular configuration, said further means including U-shaped bentclip means and spring means with the ends insertable into said aperturemeans.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising clip means, arespective prefabricated part being provided with groove-shaped recessmeans at least in a 10 portion of the places along which sections ofsaid clip means extend parallel to the surface of the prefabricated partand come into abutment at the prefabricated part, and said clip sectionsbeing adapted to be inserted into said recess means.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising rubber hosemeans and a hook for the support thereof, said hook including supportclip means adapted to be inserted into a prefabricatedpart.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein one end of said clipmeans is guided within a groove-shaped recess means provided in theprefabricated part and engages from below at least one surface layer ofthe prefabricated part, and the other end of said clip means is insertedinto the prefabricated part essentially perpendicularly to the first endthereof.

17. An,apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising rubber hosemeans and a hook for the support thereof, said book including supportclip means adapted to be inserted into a prefabricated part.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein one end of said clipmeans is guided within a groove-shaped recess means provided in theprefabricated part and engages from below at least one surface layer ofthe prefabricated part, and the other end of said clip means is insertedinto the prefabricated part essentially perpendicularly to the first endthereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,457,824 6/1923 De Nise 32-41,749,632 3/1930 Ferris.

2,666,988 1/1954 Myers 324 2,685,133 8/1954 Greene et al. 32-2 FOREIGNPATENTS 641,139 8/1950 Great Britain.

L. W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 32-14

